Does any one hunt the Yellow bellied marmots in the Sierra Nevada in California. I would like to try my hand at some long distance marmot hunting in the higher elevations but do not know what the population is like. Is there adequate populations for hunting? What time of year is best? I would appreciate responses from people who have or do hunt these vamints in California.

There are yellow bellied marmots in the Sierra Nevada. I have seen one once while driving on Highway 88 in the higher elevations. So I know they exist and that hunting them is allowed but I dont know what there populations are. Is there enough of them to warrant a hunting trip with any expectation of sucess or would I just be spinning my wheels?

They're where you find them. I've shot chucks not actually in the mountains, but along the foot of the Sierras at maybe 4500-5000' elevation. They can be found much higher and much lower than that. Chucks need a food scource, so just look for grass/alfalfa with rocks nearby.

I've often heard them while backpacking in the Sierra's around 7000-8000 feet. Often, you'll hear them whistle as you approach on a trail that goes through the middle of a grassy opening, especially if there's lots of boulders around. They're pretty spooky, and duck down quickly once they spot you.

Never hunted them, since most of the marmots I've seen are way up and hard to access unless you're into a looooong hike in and out.